S17 Ep352: Her Mother's Ghost, a Mysterious Encounter, and the Unbreakable Bond Between the Living and the Dead, with Elizabeth Herron, The Interview!
Can we reconnect with someone we have lost—even after years of feeling their absence? And can a mysterious encounter with a deceased parent help heal wounds that began in childhood?(please note there is no byte sized this week as the entire episode is important to understand the miracle!)In this deeply moving episode of Byte Sized Blessings, poet, interfaith minister, and pastoral counselor Elizabeth Herron shares an extraordinary story of childhood trauma, spiritual transformation, and an unexpected reconnection with her mother after death. Her experience raises profound questions about the bonds that connect us, the possibility of an ongoing relationship with those who have died, and the mysterious ways healing can arrive when we least expect it.Elizabeth grew up in a deeply challenging household. Her mother struggled with mental illness and addiction and died by suicide when Elizabeth was just 12 years old. For years afterward, Elizabeth felt no sense of her mother's presence. Their relationship had been profoundly painful, and the wounds of childhood would take years of spiritual exploration, personal work, and courage to begin healing.Then something remarkable happened. And yes, this is the teaser! You'll have to listen to Elizabeth's remarkable story to understand the healing and reconciliation that happened!Can Spirituality Help Heal Childhood Trauma?Elizabeth's story is also an inspiring exploration of healing childhood trauma through spirituality. Drawing on years of study, personal experience, and her work as a pastoral counselor, she describes a journey that moves through shattering, the darkness of feeling lost, the unexpected arrival of help, and eventually a renewed connection with spirit.Her understanding of spiritual transformation embraces many traditions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Indigenous spiritual teachings, and the divine feminine. She is particularly drawn to the idea of the wounded healer: the possibility that the experiences that have wounded us can eventually help us connect with and support others.One of the most significant turning points in Elizabeth's life came when she was invited to teach in jails. What began as an unexpected opportunity became a ten-year experience that helped her recognize the value of everything she had survived. Her own history of trauma gave her a way to connect with people struggling with substance abuse, historical trauma, and profound personal difficulties.For Elizabeth, the past did not suddenly become painless. Instead, it began to take on a different meaning.Ancestral Spirits, Sacred Nature, and the Feeling That We Are Not AloneLiving in the Zuni Mountains of northwestern New Mexico, Elizabeth feels deeply connected to the land, the natural world, and the ancient cultures whose presence surrounds her. Nature is more than a beautiful setting in her life; it is a place of refuge, grounding, and spiritual connection.She also describes feeling held by a circle of loving ancestral spirits—a sense of being supported by presences that encourage her to keep growing and becoming who she is.Her reflections invite us to consider the mysterious experiences that sometimes arise during periods of grief and transformation. What happens when a dream feels like a visit? What might it mean when we suddenly sense the presence of someone we have lost? And how can we make room for experiences that bring us comfort and meaning, even when we cannot fully explain them?Elizabeth does not suggest that everyone's spiritual journey will look the same. Instead, she reminds us that healing may arrive through unexpected encounters, meaningful relationships, creative expression, spiritual practice, and the natural world.Poetry, the Healing Power of Creativity, and the Beauty Waiting to Be BornThe conversation also explores Elizabeth's beautiful poetry collection, Poetry for the Ear of God, which grew out of her work on healing childhood trauma through spiritual transformation.Two poems receive special attention: The Bell Buoy and Frog Noise.In The Bell Buoy, the sound of a weathered bell carries through fog and storms, calling ships and frightened children toward safety. The image becomes a moving metaphor for the guidance, refuge, and help we long for when life feels dangerous or uncertain.In Frog Noise, the arrival of rain awakens frogs from their hidden places, filling the world with a wild celebration of life. Elizabeth connects this image with resurrection, renewal, and the mysterious process of becoming ourselves again and again.Her poetry reminds us that healing is not always quick or comfortable. Sometimes we are in the long, difficult process of becoming something new. Sometimes the pressure feels unbearable. And sometimes, after a period of darkness, something beautiful finally emerges.This is an episode about more than surviving the past. It is about discovering meaning, finding unexpected connection, and allowing the experiences that once wounded us to become part of a more expansive and compassionate life.Join us for this intimate conversation about childhood trauma, spiritual awakening, ancestral connection, the possibility of a continuing bond with a deceased parent, and the extraordinary ways healing can surprise us.Because sometimes the miracle is not that the past disappears. It is that we discover a new way to live with it—and find beauty we never imagined possible.Listen to the full episode to hear Elizabeth's story in her own words and discover why her journey is such a powerful reminder that even after profound loss, there is still room for healing, mystery, and transformation.And to hear additional stories about healing after someone beloved passes away, click on the links below!Anita Sugimura Holsapple's story about her family, and specifically the psychic gifts in her family, are fascinating! She has had both her mother and her father visit, and her stories are gorgeous! Listen to "Paranormal Encounters, Ghosts, and Psychic Family Gifts: Anita Sugimura Holsapple’s Extraordinary Stories!" on Apple HERE and Spotify HERE.Michael shares an astounding story of his father visiting after he passed. What happened during a healing session one day changed everything for him. Listen to "The Wake-Up Slap: A Doctor’s Paranormal Encounter, Energy Healing and a Message From Beyond, with Michael" on Apple HERE and Spotify HERE.Theresa Evans shares multiple powerful encounters during her Mother's last months of life. Her story of love and healing will heal your heart, many times over! Listen to "Death, Dying, and the Sacred Mystery of Life’s Final Moments" on Apple HERE and Spotify HERE.And what about the lovely Elizabeth? Well, to get in touch, HERE is her Facebook! And to buy her lovely collection of poems, click HERE!And what about me? Whelp, you can reach me at my website BYTE SIZED BLESSINGS! And then my Insta is HERE. and finally, my YouTube, which is woefully behind, is HERE.PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW, IT WOULD MEAN SO MUCH!And your bit of beauty is this! One of my very favorite poems, ever, is "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening," by Robert Frost. Listen to it HERE. Happening during the winter solstice, "the darkest evening of the year," this poem is one of the lovliest pieces of prose I have ever heard. It also references WW2, (although in an oblique way) and speaks on solitude, the power of nature, and those places in our lives where we find comfort in opening our hearts to the world. It's simple incredible, so please, listen!Childhood Trauma, Spiritual Healing, Spiritual Transformation, Grief and Loss, After Death Experiences, Deceased Loved Ones, Ancestral Spirits, Spiritual Awakening, The Wounded Healer, Healing Through Poetry, Divine Feminine, Interfaith Spirituality, Elizabeth Herron, Poetry for the Ear of God, Midweek Miracle, Mystery Magic and Miracle
